Ladle trolley



' Dec. 3l, 1929. E.v H. KENDALL I. 1,741,315

LADLE TROLLEY Filed Maron `9. 192ev '2 sheets-sneer 1 wh u? M IN V EN TOR.

Dec. 3l, 1929.

E. H. KENDALL.

LADLE TROLLEY Filed March 9, 192e z sheets-sheet INVENToR.

Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE EDGAR I-IOMER KENDALL, OIE' ALLIANCE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR 'IO THE ALLIANCE MACHINE COMPANY, OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO LADLE 'mouais Application filed March 9,

The present invention relates broadly to crane mechanisms, and more particularly to an improved form of ladle trolley for cranes embodying inter-geared drums and improved driving mechanism therefor. l

As disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,148,323 of July 27, 1915, it has heretofore been proposed to directly and permanently intergear the drums of a ladle trolley and drive the same by two motors, each capable of handling the maximum load for which the trolley is designed.

ency of the drum driven thereby so that it tends to climb upon the other drum. While actual climbing can be entirely prevented by bearings of proper construction, it is impossible to eliminate the strain on the bearings incident to the tendency.

I have found that extremely desirable results may be obtained by directly inter-connecting the armatures of the separate motors as disclosed and claimed, for example, in my co-pending application Serial No. 88,030, filed February 13, 1926, now Patent No. 1,727,206, dated Sept. 3, 1929. The construction disclosed in said application, however, provides motors so positioned as to necessitate a material increase in the overall length of the trolley, and to prevent the expeditious use of sheave blocks in connection therewith.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved construction such that the overall length of the trolley may be materially reduced and sheave blocks satisfactorily incorporated therein, the entire construction being such that access 'to the different parts is expedited, and inspection of the cables facilitated.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment of my invention, it being understood that the drawings do not define the limits of the invention, as changes of crane trolley embodying the present invention, and

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the construction illustrated in Figure 1.

' In carrying out the present invention, there may be provided a trolley frame 2, supported on track wheels 3, adapted to cooperate with tracks 4, of a traveling bridge crane 5, a portion of which is indicated in broken ylines in Figure 2.

Mounted in suitable bearings in the frame 2 are hoisting drums 6, in substantially parallel side by side relationship. Each of the drums has rigidly secured thereto a peripherally extending gear 7, which gears directly intermesh as clearly illustrated in the drawings to insure simultaneous rotation of the drums and to prevent movement of one ofthe drums independently of or relatively to the other.

For Yetecting rotation of the drums, I have provided driving means in the form of a pair of motors 8, arranged with their armature shafts in axial alignment and interconnected by means of a coupling 9. rlhe armature shafts are extended on opposite ends of the motor and carry brakes 10 by means of which the speed of the armatures may be checked or controlled at will. Due to the provision of the coupling 9, it will be apparent that vunequal application of the respective brakes will not permit one motor to overrun the other, the coupling causing the armatures of the respective motors to rotate in synchronism at all times.

Carried by the armatureshafts are gears 11, adapted to cooperate with gears 12 on the shafts 13 journaled inthe trolley frame and extending transversely thereof and in substantially parallel relationship to the drums. The shafts y13 are adapted to drive these drums through reducing gearing 14 of any well-known type.

Intermediate the drums 6 and the shafts 13, and adjacent each end of the trolley frame is a sheave block 15, these sheave blocks being carried on suitable shafts 17, in substantially the plane of the drum shafts. Due to this location, the cables passing around the sheaves are visible at all times, so that they may be readily inspected with the trolley in operation. Likewise, access to the cables is expedited in case repair or removal thereof is necessary.

rlhe location of the driving means is such that they occupy a space above the axes of the drums, as clearly apparent from Figure Q, and substantially within the area defined by the heads of the drums. They thus lie entirely between the sheave blocks and in no wise interfere with access thereto. The adj acent relationship or the motors also materially decreases the length of the connecting means for the motor armatures, and decreases the possibility of strain due to slight overrunning permitted by torsional displacement of the connecting shaft. It also eliminates the extension of the motors beyond the shafts 18 and correspondingly shortens the length of the trolley frame and facilitates assembly, mounting', and inspection thereof.

It will beundverstood that each of the motors, in accordance with the disclosure of my patent referred to, is preferably of s uch construction as to be capable of independently lifting the maximum load for which the trolley is designed, thereby obviating the possibility of dropping of the load in the event one of the motors burns out or yotherwise becomes inoperative, or in the event the gearing between either motor and its drum should become defective.

Certain advantages arise from the provisionof a compact crane trolley construction minimizing the possibility of accident, decreasing the susceptibility of the parts to strain due to torsion, and facilitatin the positioning, inspection, and access to shcave blocks in the plane of the trolley.

I claim:-

l. In a crane, a pair of directly intergeared drums having portions of their axes in side by side relationship, separate motors for said drums, one of said motors being positioned adjacent one end of one of the drums and the other of said motors being positioned adjacent the corresponding end of the other drum, and means connecting the motors to the drums.

2. In a crane, a pair of directly intergeared drums having portions of their axes in side by side relationship, separate motors for said drums, one of said nietors being positioned adjacent one end ofL one of the drums and the other of said motors being positioned adjacent the ,corresponding end of the other drum, and means connecting the motors to the drums and insuring synchronous operation of one motor relatively tothe other.

3. In a crane, a pair of directly intergeared drums having portions of their axes in side by side relationship, separate motors for said drums, sheave blocks outside of the intergeared drums and adjacent thereto, and driving means for said drums positioned intermediate the sheave blocks.

4l. In a crane, a pair of directly intergeared drums having portions of their axes in side by side relationship, separate motors for said drums, sheave blocks outsideof the intergeared drums and adjacent thereto and substantially in the plane thereof, and driving means for said drums positioned intermediate the sheave blocks.

5. In a crane, a pair of directly intergeared drums having portions of their axes in side by side relationship, separate motors for said drums, sheave blocks outside of the intergeared drums and adjacent thereto, and driving means for said drums positioned intermediate the sheave blocks and adjacent one end of the drums.

6. In a crane, a pair of directly intergeared drums, separate motors for said drums, sheave blocks outside of the intergeared drums and adjacent thereto, and driving means for said drums positioned intermediate the sheave blocks, said driving means comprising motors having their armatures directly inter-connected.

7. In a crane, a pair of directly intergeared hoisting drums, and driving means for said drums located adjacent one end of the drums and between the planes of their outer peripheries.

8. In acrane, a pair of directly intergeared hoisting drums, and driving means for said drums located adjacent one end of the drums and between the planes of their outer peripheries and above the axes of rotation thereof.

9. In a crane, a pair of directly intergeared hoistingk drums, and driving means for said drums'located adjacentone end of the drums and between the planes of their outer peripheries, said driving means comprising a plurality of motors.

10. In a crane, a pair of'directly intergeared hoisting drums, and driving means .for said drums located adjacent one end of the drums and between the planes of their outer peripheries, said driving `means comprising a plurality of motors having their armatures inter-connected to insure synchronous operation thereof.

1l. In a crane, a pair of intergeared drums, motors for said drums adjacent the ends thereof, each motor being` designed toy carry the maximum load for which the drums are designed, and gearing entirelyoutside of the plane of the motors and `connecting the same with the drums.

12. In a crane, a pair of directly intergeared drums having portions of their axes in Side by Side relatieashp., Separate factors for said drums, one of said motors being positioned adjacent one end of one of the drums and the other of said motors being positioned adjacent the corresponding end of the other drum, the inner ends of said motors being in closely adjacent relationship, means intermediate said ends for interconnecting the motors, and means connecting the motors to the drums.

13. In a crane, a pair of directly intergeared drums having portions of their axes in side by side relationship, separate motors for said drums, one of said motors being positioned adjacent one end of one of the drums and the other of said motors being positioned adjacent the corresponding end of the other drum, the inner ends of said motors being in closely adjacent relationship, and means connecting the motors of the drums and insuring synchronous operation of one motor relatively to the other.

14. In a crane, a pair of directly inter-v geared drums having portions of their axes in side by side relationship, separate motors for said drums, one of said motors being positioned adjacent one end of one of the drums and the other of said motors being positioned adjacent the corresponding end of the other drum, the inner ends of said motors being in closely adjacent relationship, means intermediate said ends or interconnecting the motors, and means connecting the motors to the drums, each of said motors being designed to carry the maximum load for Which the drums are designed.

15. In a crane, an pair of vdirectly intergeared drums having portions of their axes in side by side relationship, separate motors for said drums, one of said motors being positioned adjacent one end of one of the drums and the other of said motors being positioned adjacent the corresponding end of the other drum, the inner ends of said motors being in closely adjacent relationship, and means conneet-ing the motors of the drums and insuring synchronous operation of one motor relatively to the other, each of said motors being designed to carry the maximum load for Which the drums are designed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDGAR IIOMER KENDALL. 

